Early flight after disembarkation

[Charlie2na]

I may have made a mistake booking an early flight... 11:00 a.m from Norfolk after a Maasdam cruise in Jan. The other options weren't until 3:30. Is this totally unrealistic ? What happens if I miss it. Airport only 15 minutes from shipport. On paper, if we arrive on time , I should make it. I'm sure there's a charge to change flight as well as one for missing my flight ... six of one half dozen of the other !

[jhannah]

It will all depend on whether or not the ship clears on time. All it takes is just one passenger who fails to report to immigration as they're supposed to to hold up disembarkation. Assuming disembarkation starts at 8:30, you should be okay ... although it may be tight. I've never flown out of Norfolk, so it's hard to know for sure how quickly/easily you can get through check-in and security there. Good luck.

[Navy_Chief]

I have flown in and out of Norfolk several times but only once since 9/11. That time I was real close with the time (within 45 min until flight time) and was on a regional jet. Had to drag my small bag with me through security which I normaly check due to the electronics devices I was carrying. Managed to make it ok.

 

I think I would have been more comfortable on the afternoon flight myself just so I wouldn't be rushed.

[iluvcruzin]

Call the airline. I asked Delta what would happen if I miss my 11:30 flight out of FLL and they said it was $25.00 to change if the flight is missed. However, it's $100 to change after purchase.

 

When you fill out the immigration paperwork online it asks for the Flights and times so HAL should be able to get you off the ship with the early flight group.

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

 

The Maasdam had quite a rough time last year in and out of Norfolk. Unfortunately all the threads about her not arriving on time in Norfolk are lost.

Although after a couple of months of arriving in Norfolk at the end of a cruise VERY LATE, her itinerary was changed and things did improve.

But I would never risk having an 11:30 flight.

:)

[MandyGirl]

I'm sure there's a charge to change flight as well as one for missing my flight ... six of one half dozen of the other !

Which airline did you book on? If you booked on Southwest, there is no charge to change your flight. (Such as on some airlines, you get a $100 "fee" to change the flight PLUS the fare difference if that fare is no longer available). However, on Southwest - if the fare class that you booked on is no longer available, then you can only change into whatever fare class is available, which could alter your charge (but no additional "change fee"). On the bright side, if that fare class IS available, then no problem and no "change fee"!! Look on their website or call reservations. The website shows exactly which fare classes are available. :)

[iluvcruzin]

If you booked on Southwest, there is no charge to change your flight. (Such as on some airlines, you get a $100 "fee" to change the flight PLUS the fare difference if that fare is no longer available).

I've never flown Southwest.. However, I have watched the "AIRLINE" show on A&E. I've seen them charge people extra to change flights. Also OVERBOOKING seems to be the norm on this airline. After watching quite a few episodes of this show I would be too leary to book with them. Sometimes they had 50 seats overbooked on a flight.. Yikes!!

[MandyGirl]

I wouldn't base booking a flight off of what you see on the tv show. I'd look at safety ratings supplied by the National Transportation Safety Board as well as customer complaint ratings, lost baggage ratings, and on-time arrival ratings.

 

The show cameras seem to only pick out the most extreme situations :eek: - gets the ratings (and I watch each episode). No other US airline volunteered to do the show from what I have read. I've been in several oversell situations (on other airlines) and have definitely benefitted from the vouchers and first-class upgrades. (previously had American AAdvantage gold status back in my twenties). It's a part of the air travel industry. Every airline overbooks - just ask anyone who has worked in their revenue management departments that create the lids on flights. It is a huge complex formula - you have business people that don't show, people miss their flights because they're not at the gate on time, etc. Most of the time, the formula works. However, it's not a perfect world and it won't work sometimes. Obviously, though, on a weekend after Thanksgiving, there is absolutely no overbooking since that is traditionally a time when travelers do show up for their flights. (just as an example) They know when they can traditionally have more seats to sell that will be no-shows.

 

I had a student use a razor blade in class one time to start carving his gang initials in his forearm, then robbed a store while he was out on suspension from that. But I still teach because I know that not ALL kids use razor blades. I can't focus on the one negative. :)

It is a pretty funny show to see how some people behave!

[MandyGirl]

I've seen them charge people extra to change flights.

You are not seeing those customers charged a "change fee" but only a fare difference.

 

See if this helps:

~ fare difference - you book your fare weeks (or months) in advance and get a certain great fare such as the internet fare or the 21-day advance purchase fare (or whatever fare is available at the time you book your flight). When you re-book your flight, that original fare is no longer available but more expensive fares are. That is "fare difference".

~ change fee - the additional $100 administrative fee some other airlines charge to change your flight booking... in addition to the fare difference (if your original fare when booking is no longer available). Southwest does not charge this administrative change fee.

 

Scenario:

You book a flight a month in advance at a great fare. At that time, you could get a 21-day advance purchase fare. You get to the airport and decide you want to go on a different flight that leaves in 15 minutes. The only fares most likely available at that time are the "walk-up" fares.

All airlines will charge you a "fare difference" if the specific fare code that you booked under is not still available at the specific time you decide to re-book your ticket. That 21-day advance purchase fare is not going to be available 15 minutes before a flight.

Here's the big difference:

Many other airlines will not only charge you that fare difference (that you are seeing on the tv show) but will ALSO charge you a "change fee" as well! Most airlines have that set at $100. Here is an example of a Continental flight I just checked - looked it up on Travelocity and clicked on Rules: "CHANGES CHARGE USD 100.00 FOR REISSUE." Southwest does not charge this "change fee".

 

What I was specifying in my original post was that Southwest will not charge a "change fee". Since the original poster's flight is still over 4 months away, they could probably change flights and not have a fare difference depending on what fare code they booked under. But if on some other airline, they'll most likely have the $100 change fee even if that same exact fare code is still available.

 

Many fare codes exist... internet rates, 21-day advance purchase, 14-day advance purchase, 7-day advance purchase, Y-fare (walk-up), etc.

 

When I fly other airlines, the $100 change fee alone is enough to deter me from changing flights... not to mention the fare difference! :eek:

[jazzsea]

Have you sailed on HAL before? If so, you will remember that you will receive a form in your cabin asking about your plans for disembarkation.

 

You will want to be with the very first group of passengers that disembark.

 

You'll grab a taxi and arrive at the airport in time for your flight.

 

Please relax and don't worry about the flight.

 

Will you be bringing a Cell Phone? Program the airline phone number in your cell phone. Call your airline when you are leaving the ship. Ask if your flight has a delay or if it is listed as "on time"?

 

If it is listed as "on time", ask to be waitlisted for the next flight, just in case.

 

Most of all..... Don't let the flight questions interfere with your cruise.

 

Remember that there are always flight schedule changes. Maybe your flight time will be changed between now and January.

 

Please don't worry. You'll be fine!

[Charlie2na]

Thanks all, I'll call American Airlines to see what the penalties are for changing flights and what the are for missing flights. I didn't want to sit for 5-6 hrs waiting to go home, so thought I would roll the dice and hope everything went well

[MandyGirl]

I've called that number so many times I still have it memorized! 1-800-433-7300

 

I was under the same question for our upcoming cruise - 11:00 flight or 2:00 (out of FLL). On paper, we should be able to make the 11:00 with no problem, but it just takes one little thing to hold up immigration/customs and I didn't want to end my vacation all stressed out. And I'm flying the weekend after Thanksgiving which is one of the busiest travel weekends of the year - hence long lines at security (and to check baggage) at the airport.

[Charlie2na]

Just spoke to an AA rep, and she said there would be a $100.00 change charge, or I could just fly standby on the next two flights home @ no charge!... Sounds like a good emergency plan if we get fouled up timewise on disembarkation.

[MandyGirl]

That would make sense - just the $100 change fee for rebooking now because the fare you booked is probably still available this far in advance (so no 'fare difference' to pay - just the 'change fee').

Are you traveling at a non-peak time? I've flown standby before, and if the planes are full, you're kinda stranded until a seat is available (and they won't bump paying passengers for standbys). The last time I almost took a voucher was leaving St Thomas - for $500 each on AA (in 2002). BUT... it was Thanksgiving weekend (that Friday) and we would be placed on the next available flight... Monday morning! But we could do standby the entire weekend in case seats became available. When I found out how booked the flights were after mine, I definitely decided to keep my seat and not volunteer to give it up - especially since we had bulkhead seats all the way home on both flights!! If you are flying at a non-peak time though, you should be okay. Holidays are just busy times to travel, and I was certainly glad I asked about that before saying "yes" to the $500 each!

But it's definitely great to know you could do later flights at standby just in case!!! :) Thanks for sharing what you learned!

[Charlie2na]

Hopefully, we'll be in time. Going to be disembarking on a thursday morning, end of January.... shouldn't be to busy ! Also ,looked @ ontime percentage... 70% on time! That works in my favor!

[Navy_Chief]

Yeah that time should be OK....not too busy....Good Luck and hope it goes well for you.

[Charlie2na]

Thanks Navy, I'll be checking with you from time to time as winter draws near

[Charlie2na]

WHOOPS, forgot to mention, we'll be waiting for your review of Maasdam in a couple of months !!